Advancements in immersive VR as a tool for preoperative planning for laparoscopic surgery.

The utility of three-dimensional (3D) models for planning laparoscopic surgery and surgical training has been demonstrated. (1) Computed tomography (CT) scans with oral and intravenous contrast medium are frequently used for preoperative evaluation of patients undergoing complex laparoscopic surgery. Immersive 3D VR overcomes many of the conceptual limitations encountered when conveying or teaching 3D relationships via 2D images traditionally produced by these scans.

Wireless live streaming video of laparoscopic surgery: a bandwidth analysis for handheld computers.

Over the last six years, streaming media has emerged as a powerful tool for delivering multimedia content over networks. Concurrently, wireless technology has evolved, freeing users from desktop boundaries and wired infrastructures. At the University of Kentucky Medical Center, we have integrated these technologies to develop a system that can wirelessly transmit live surgery from the operating room to a handheld computer.

Inclusion of 3-D computed tomography rendering and immersive VR in a third year medical student surgery curriculum.

Computed tomography (CT) scans are frequently used for preoperative evaluation of patients undergoing complex surgery and are therefore commonly encountered by medical students on their surgical rotations. Interpretation of these CT scan images is therefore an integral component of all medical students' surgical rotations. Additionally, advanced rendering available from modem scanners and registration of multimodal or serial scans require the student to understand how volumetric anatomy relates to cross-sectional anatomy.